dbborroughs Review of The Escapist

The Escapist (2008)

Good cast in a good movie that only occasionally soars

[6/10 · 14 April 2009]

Brian Cox stars and produces this tale of a prison escape. Told out of sequence, the escape parallels the tale leading up to it, this is an often nail biting, often run of the mill story. The thrust of the film concerns Brian Cox who is serving a life sentence, getting a his first letter in 14 years. The daughter he left behind is sick due to a drug habit. Desperately needing to get out and make things right he assembles a group of men to help him escape. Very well acted film that is extremely claustrophobic. Everyone is in everyones face and the walls really are all around. Its a good movie that doesn't always transcend its stock prison bits. yes the escape is stunning, and some of the twists are affecting but I know that had this been told conventionally it wouldn't have amounted to very much (and if you sense that an note of disappointment that the good bits aren't up to the great bits you're right). That said its definitely worth a look on cable or as a rental.